BLACKSBURG, Va. — Jai Patel connected on a 24-yard field goal with 1:56 remaining to lift Rutgers to a 26-23 victory over Virginia Tech on Saturday.
Patel’s field goal capped a 68-yard drive after Rutgers (3-0) squandered a 16-point lead entering the fourth quarter, but hung on to register its first road win of the season and its 10th consecutive nonconference victory.
“When you get after somebody and then it flips like that, it’s very, very hard, especially in their stadium, to be able to pull it back and go win the game,” Rutgers coach Greg Schiano said. “And that’s what we did. I’m proud of the guys. We certainly have a lot to clean up, but in many ways, this game is going to help us. I believe that, just going through this experience together.”
Virginia Tech (2-2) took over at its 25-yard line after Patel’s field goal, but on the third play of the drive, quarterback Kyron Drones’ pass was intercepted by Rutgers’ Robert Longerbeam to seal the win for the Scarlet Knights.
“I was coming on the blitz and I saw the quarterback was about to throw the ball, but I was too far,” said Longerbeam, a native of Virginia. “I had to jump. When I looked up, the ball was in the air, and I got under it and went down.
“Just coming back to Virginia and being 1-0 … it meant everything to us. We put so much work into this season and to go 1-0 … means the world to us.”
The Hokies had tied the game at 23 after scoring touchdowns and converting two-point conversions on back-to-back possessions in the fourth quarter. Bhayshul Tuten scored both of the Hokies’ touchdowns on runs of 14 and 2 yards.
Kyle Monangai and Samuel Brown V combined for 144 rushing yards and three touchdowns for Rutgers, which finished with 187 yards rushing.
Tuten rushed for 122 yards to lead the Hokies.
“We know the team we have,” Virginia Tech coach Brent Pry said. “We know the potential we have. But you can’t just be about potential. You’ve got to meet it, and we’re not doing that right now. We are a better team that what we showed today.”
